1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for separately catching successive streams of urine for taking samples for laboratorial and bacteriological examination, and more concretely, to a single-use apparatus adapted for newborns and small children, as well as adults, who, owing to whatever hindrances, cannot cooperate with the examiner. The proposed apparatus is applied with the seated patient in a seat position.
The objective of the bacteriological examination of urine is to obtain information on the number and species of bacteria in urine from the bladder and the upper parts of the urinary tract, respectively. Further therapy, hospitalization, and diagnostic procedures are dependent on said information. Each false-positive result is of course unacceptable to the patient, who will be unnecessarily submitted to diagnostic and therapeutic treatment. Additionally, such false-positive results will cause superfluous costs either to the medical institution or the patient himself.
Said false-positive results and contamination, respectively, of an urine sample are due to several causes, the most important of them are: the urethra is populated by bacteria which, when urinating, mix with the caught urine, so that the findings lead to the impression that an infection were in question; the same false impression exerted by fecal contamination and a contamination from the perigenital region, respectively; and the sample being further contaminated when decanting the urine from the collector into a vessel in which the urine will be transported to the laboratory.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From the Czech magazine "Cs.Pediat.", 1977, xxxii year, page 226, vol. 4, there is known an apparatus (by D. Krcma) designated as midstream urine collector for newborns and nurslings. In this apparatus there runs, from an adapter sticked around the genitalia of the lying patient, a long flexible pipe extending beyond the border of the bed which has its free end inserted through a stopper of a free-hinged test-tube. From the hinged section, i.e. vertical section, of this flexible pipe a branch pipe, immediately above the test tube, is led slopingly upwards, provided with a further flexible pipe which is shorter than the first one and, like the first pipe, terminates in its own hinging test-tube. In addition to said two flexible pipes there is foreseen a small ventilating pipe in each stopper.
When applying said known apparatus there have to be selected, according to the available disclosure, two test-tubes of an appropriate size wherein some oil is dropped which later on floats on the urine, and after an adequate viscosity has been selected, closes the ventilating pipes when both test-tubes are filled up. When catching urine, this apparatus is applied as follows: when voiding, first the adapter and then the section of the first flexible pipe resting on the bed are filled up, and thereupon the test-tube of the first pipe becomes full. The urine which is left over is diverted at the afore-mentioned branch pipe and streams into the second test-tube. Presumably, the second test-tube is great enough to accumulate the whole of the left-over urine.
According to the concept of the Czech inventor, the urine in question, kept in the second test-tube, is separated from the presumably contaminated urine kept in the first test tube. However, the analysis of the disclosed situation shows the following.
First, the conception of the apparatus as such, according to which the adapter is filled up with the urine which comes into contact with the skin, makes it possible to contaminate the urine; the proportionally long section of the first flexible pipe becomes contaminated with the first, i.e. polluted, stream of the urine and as such injuriously influences the left-over stream. Second, the preparation of this apparatus for the application is a time-consuming task due to the insertion of the necessary oil. And third, the entire manipulation with the apparatus, particularly the insertion of oil as well as the oil as such involves additional contamination of the sample and the interior of the apparatus, respectively.
Beside the above-mentioned "constructional" disadvantages attention should be drawn also to the following. It can be anticipated that the last section of the urine stream, i.e. approximately 2 cc urine, containing liquid particles from the wrinkles of the bladder wall, is more densely populated by the bacteria than the left-over urine contents of the bladder. However, said last stream cannot be separated by the known apparatus.